Nunavut wants $18.9 million more to make ends meet by April 1, 2013

MLAs ponder big supplementary appropriation

Nunavut’s finance minister Keith Peterson said Nov. 2 that the Government of Nunavut needs a $18.9 million supplementary appropriation to cover its operations and maintenance budget for 2012-13.

Supplementary appropriations are additional spending requests made after the territorial government’s regular budget has been approved, often for funds the government has already spent.

Peterson described the details of his extra spending request during his presentation of Bill 42, which outlined the additional money that the government will need until April 1, 2013.

The Department of Justice needs $4.6 million more to pay for increases to the new territorial police services agreement, which was recently signed between the provinces and territories and Public Safety Canada, he said.

Some of this $4.6 million will go towards salary increases and guard costs.

About $360,000 is slated for more firearms. The patrol carbine purchases will “ensure effective maintenance of public safety while, at the same time, ensuring their self-protection,” Peterson said.

Peterson also said the GN needs $810,000 to cover the first of a four-year museum services deal between the Department of Culture and Heritage and the Northwest Territories.

• $632,000 to the Department of Community and Government Services to increase the base funding of the Project Management Office ($600,000) and the additional lease cost for the relocation of Public Health ($32,000); and,

• $350,000 to the Nunavut Housing Corporation for the development of a comprehensive housing and homelessness strategy.